A hypothetical → transient event undergone by a
→ star due to
its violent → merging with
another star in a → close binary star.
The release of → orbital energy causes the
→ envelope of the star to
heat up and → inflate, causing the star to brighten
considerably. Mergebursts are
predicted to rival or exceed the brightest classical → novae
in luminosity, but to be much cooler and redder than classical novae, and
to become slowly hotter and bluer as they age.
See also: → merge; → burst.
